


Music Therapy

by holdyourbreathfornow



Series: Steven Universe Gets a Therapist [4]
Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-29
Updated: 2019-12-29
Packaged: 2021-02-26 03:43:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,170
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22020139
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/holdyourbreathfornow/pseuds/holdyourbreathfornow
Summary: Dr Franklin wants to try something new in Steven's therapy session.And later, Steven bonds with the Gems.
Relationships: Steven Universe & Crystal Gems, Steven Universe & Dr Franklin
Series: Steven Universe Gets a Therapist [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1536322
Comments: 10
Kudos: 130





	Music Therapy

“Okay, Steven!” Dr. Franklin claps her hands together and her teenage patient blinks at her. He’s having one of his rough days, his curly hair unbrushed and a jacket thrown over his pajamas. “Today we’re going to try something new. Do you think you’re up to it?”

“I don’t know if I can do this physically.” Steven admits honestly, glancing down at his clothes and then back up at Dr. Franklin. She nods and rests her chin on her laced fingers.

“Alright, let me describe the exercise to you and then we’ll see how you wanna proceed. Does that sound good?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay. So I know your family is very music oriented, and I thought we could work that in. I have an instrument closet.” She points across the room to where a tapestry covers a closet door. “We can look in there and see if you want to use any of them today, but only if you feel up to it.”

“I…” Steven half rises from his seat and then catches himself, blinking as he turns back to Dr. Franklin. “I think that sounds really good.”

“Excellent.” Dr. Franklin heaves herself out of her chair and she and Steven head over to the closet together. She unlocks the door and pulls it open. Steven looks at the assortment of instruments before him with stars in his eyes before eventually, hesitantly, pulling an acoustic guitar from the mix. Dr. Franklin smiles at that before she hefts up an electronic keyboard nearly as long as her torso.

They make their way back to the seats and Steven tunes his guitar while Dr. Franklin plugs her keyboard in.

“I haven’t played in awhile.” Steven laughs, but he sounds almost guilty about it. Dr. Franklin looks up at him.

“Is it alright if I ask why?”

“I’ve been so busy, it feels like.” He strums a quiet chord and it echoes in the still room. “All these responsibilities, holding me down, holding me back.”

“We talked about freeing up your schedule.” Dr. Franklin remarks as she smoothly introduces her keyboard’s sounds into the mix.

“But they need me-”

“Not as much as you do.” The piano is firm. “There is nothing wrong with putting yourself first.”

“But that can go too far. I… What if I go too far?”

“You’ve got a family to pull you back from the brink.”

“And if I take them with me? I couldn’t live with the guilt.”

“There are always going to be consequences. Live because you want to be a better you, not because you’re just trying to bring back a past you.”

“Because that past me is gone.”

“And here you are, in her, his, your place.” The guitar trails off, the strings ringing as Dr. Franklin holds the last chord for a moment longer. Then she looks up at Steven. 

He seems more awake now than he did when the appointment started, if only because there are tears dripping down his face. Dr. Franklin holds a box of tissues out silently and Steven takes them with a grateful nod.

“It’s just… I want to make sure everything I do, I do it right. That way, if something goes wrong, I know how to fix it.”

“Well, there are going to be things you can’t fix. There may be people expecting you to, even begging you to-”

“Like with Pumpkin?” Dr. Franklin pauses, and then nods.

“Not exactly the situation I was thinking of, but a perfect example.” She considers Steven. “And how are you coping with that?”

“About as well as I cope with anything.”

“So... Poorly.”

“Don’t need to call me out like that.” Steven said but didn’t exactly look upset, like it had been a blow he knew was coming. 

“I’ve mentioned before that you seem to have some anger issues which can be slightly worrying.” Steven nodded. “And on top of that, you have powers which are keyed into your emotions. If you lose control, there is the very real possibility you could hurt someone.”

“But if I bottle them up, then they all just come bursting out, and it… It hurts.” Steven curls into himself slightly, eyes going wide. “I’m so tired of it hurting. I just want it to stop. Why can’t it all stop?” His skin begins to glow, faintly, and Dr. Franklin decides to act now, before her patient gets too lost in his own head.

“Nothing ever stops. Look at your jacket.” Slowly, Steven uncurls his fists from his arms and stretches them out, carefully examining the sleeves. “Just two years ago, you couldn’t wear that jacket. Now, it fits you perfectly.” She smiles at Steven, who doesn’t see it, engrossed as he is in the threads and stitching of his sleeves. “You’ve grown, Steven. And you’ll keep doing that. Because the world doesn’t stop, and that includes you.”

The room fills with the sound of wind chimes gently rising in volume, and Dr. Franklin pulls her phone out, shutting off the alarm and setting the device aside. 

“And that’s the end of our session for today. Are you going to be okay to drive home or would you like to wait in the lobby for a ride?”

“I’ll drive home.” Steven stands, before looking down at the guitar still held in his hands. “Uh…”

“If you don’t mind, leave it on the couch. I’ll clean up in a bit.”

“Okay.” He sets the instrument down and waves goodbye to Dr. Franklin as he heads out the door. She returns the gesture just before he disappears around the corner. 

-

When Steven gets home, Garnet has tomato sauce on her hands and her usual stoic expression on her face. Amethyst is happily playing with a giant glob of… Dough, of some kind. And Pearl watches the chaos unfold with an exasperated smile.

All three of them look at Steven when he comes in, and he surveys the situation with eyebrows raised, carefully tucking his shoes onto the rack by the door.

“Did you guys fight a pizza monster or something?” He asks with a laugh in his voice.

“That’s what it feels like.” Garnet tells him and Pearl wrinkles her nose at the other Gem.

“No! We were trying to have a surprise for you when you got home after your appointment! I found this delicious looking vegetarian pizza recipe online.” She pauses and slowly glances around the filthy kitchen. “Though I think it’s safe to say things got a little out of hand.”

“Aw, you guys didn’t have to do that!” Steven gathers them into a hug, not minding the dough and sauce that get on him. “Why don’t we make a together pizza? And then we can watch that new hospital show Pearl likes.”

“Just because they file the paperwork correctly-!”

And as the house devolves back into chaos, Amethyst chasing Pearl with the dough, Steven laughs with them. He takes a moment to be in the present.

And he hums quietly under his breath.


End file.
